Thread: Nothing against the Barbers

my apologies. a whisker wiper is one who does just that, wipes them off.
Likely that most newbs, with the right gear, are doing just that within 3 months. The rest is technique and practice as there is always something new to learn.

I have not yet gotten a shave from a barber, but when my razors get here I will (sent out for honing). I think that first of all they have to use a disposable unless you take yours and they use it, so you're giving them a handicap there.

next, most never do shaves any more, even if they used to. I'm betting the guys at Truefitt and Hill are hell of a good shavers when it comes down to it. and its all they do every day. unless somebody is trying to not get good it is impossible to do something 10 times as much as another person and not get better than them. of course there are the naturally gifted, people who just for whatever reason do better than everybody else from the get go. (John McEnroe in Tennis for instance, tiger, Jordan. guys that get much more return for their time invested learning than average).

but barring natural gifted talent it comes down to experience. now most of the older barbers didn't have access to all the great stuff we have. they didn't have stables of 4+ hones to work from. I think take a truly trained barber, even today, that actually does the shaves on a daily basis, give him the same tools. he'll be better overall.

I do agree though that with your own face you're probably better, you shave it all the time. at the same time the barber is probably better at everybody elses face than you would be (any of us hobby shavers would be) and I'd even hazard that a good barber given enough shaves on your face, with a good razor, would be as good as you too.

just my thinking, and of course I just woke up and came to check my ads so still have sleepy in my eyes. take it all for what its worth

Red

The only modern straight shave I had wasn't very good. I was given an apprentice and the shave was satisfactory. The experience though, with the towels and hot oils, lather, etc. was incredible.

A barber today probably doesn't know anything about shaving at all, with a few big exceptions. We are all much better than a modern barber.

Back in the hey day of straight shaving they had hands on instructions, supervisors, willing faces for practice, co-workers. Heck, you could even ask the guy next to you at the bar. We don't stand a chance of being much better than they were, nor are we very likely to find some new technique or concept. We certainly aren't any smarter than they were (just spend some time in the Conversation forum), nor are we, with a few exceptions, likely to modernize the process somehow without changing the tools or technology and making a new, modern version of the art (like using a high micron paste). Heck, if we are better today its only because of modern hones, this website, modern blades, modern pastes, etc.

The big advantage we have is all their original knowledge, the internet (I can read some good stuff from other countries on the subject), and we shave our own faces. That makes it easy for us, and gives us an easy sense sharpness, only one whisker pattern to deal with, and a willing long tempered test subject.

But, I have to admit, if I ever get a hold of a time machine I'm going back in time to a barber shop in the middle of the morning shaving rush and yelling "OK, what the is the deal with all these sagging strops!"

I have to agree with Alan here.
The multi-hundred and multi-thousand post members are very vocal, but they are not the majority.
I think it was Joe who once made a statistic, and the majority of the members never get beyond a 100 posts or so, and only stay long enough to learn basic shaving and razor maintenance.
The majority is also not expert at honing.

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

We certainly aren't any smarter than they were (just spend some time in the Conversation forum),

So true. People now are no different from people then. The only difference is that we have an easier life and we can afford ourselves the time to talk about shaving.

When I started the first forum 8 years ago, there was virtually no consolidated information where people could come and learn the art of straight razor shaving. Now we have many forums and have had the opportunity to learn from thousands of people learning as well as share the experiences from the few long time straight razor shavers. As a result, we probably have more knowledge now than ever in this area. We can still learn a lot from the old time barbers who are still around if we listen. They may not use all the modern techniques that we have learned about here, but they have so much to offer. We have found that there are as many ways to shave, hone and restore razors as there people here and everyone has their own preferences. Look at what we have learned about soaps and brushes. Heck we even get opinions from people who haven't done something, but will tell us how they think they would do it.......

If anything, we have helped the barbers get back into the art of straight razor shaving by demand and they will improve their skills to the level of yesteryear with all the new technology that we have available.

I can say that even if every barber shave was not the best shave I've gotten, I have received some of the best shaves in my life from barbers and I have loved the experience every single time.

Have fun,

Lynn

I do not know anyone around here who uses straight razors at home. I have had only one bought shave. It was at Cavite, Philippines back in 1968. It was a very close and smooth shave, but it took a long time- what with all the washing, hot towels, skin-pulling, and careful shaving. I do remember the extremly long time the barber stropped that razor. Since I began this hobby, older barbers are my primary "hands-on" source of technical information. They tell me that a student barber had to pass the lathered balloon shaving test! Shave a lathered inflated balloon without bursting it! Indeed... I haven't tried that yet. Have any of you done it? I plan to bring some balloons to the barbershop next trip and see proof. Meanwhile, I shall mine the experience of those gentlemen. It is romanticism to a degree, but they enjoy relating to me the way things were done before the world changed. A noble hobby and a link to a different quality of life.

Originally Posted by kevint

heh heh. prom fuzz.

romaticism

Want some numbers then. That guy had been in the business for over thirty years. I know from experience in the hair cutting world that to make money you must average at least twenty customers a day, or a hundred a week. multiply that by 50 weeks worked in a year and you get 5000 customers a year. Times thirty years that come to about 150,000 customers in his career, before he got to me. even if only one customer in ten got a shave (and it wasn't a very expensive add on, my dad often got one) thats 15,000 shaves over his career. If I keep shaving with a straight, every day, for the next forty years, I'll have close to his experience. So I think he was qualified to teach me a thing or two.

Here's a litle reminder of what we are talking about.

YouTube - Waldorf Shaving Saloon